Canary Islands, El Hierro probably is going to erupt today

Update

05/11/2011 @ 08:36 – Residents are evacuated from the town of Los Gusmones on El Hierro as the earthquakes move closer to the coast of the island and are higher in magnitute.

Morning TZ and Dalke,
Just as well it is the week end and you can keep an eye on all those charts and things the rest of us learners here do not understand!
Thank you
Rainbows
Jane

reply to post by angelchemuel

This is new ground for me I'm afraid. If this ones charts were Etna I would call eruption in the next day but this is totally out of my knowledge
Latest news

05/11/2011 @ 11:11 – Two earthquakes detected at 9:05 and 9:44 this morning measuring 3.5 and 3.9 degrees Richter detected on El Hierro.
05/11/2011 @ 11:26 – The earthquakes are getting closer to the surface and coast of El Hierro and are intensifying, see the following latest three earthquakes to hit El Hierro:
05/11/2011 09:44:44 27.7841 -18.0497 20 3.9
05/11/2011 09:05:00 27.8246 -18.0762 20 3.5
05/11/2011 08:59:01 27.7804 -18.0565 21 3.0

It's not looking good for the folks of El Hierro, or the other islands close by IMHO.
There have been reports of some smelling sulphur in the air....it's the CO2 that worries me....hope they are monitoring that?
Rainbows
Jane

Good Morning All,
I think the IGN servers are being taxed--I'm having a hard time with some of their pages, but I managed to see this, from the past hour.

Source
It looks like another decent sized quake. I believe the authorities are meeting now--hopefully they will think about evacuating. I'm with you Angechemuel, I don't think it looks good.

Latest

05/11/2011 @ 12:09 – Eleven families have been evacuated from an area known as Los Gusmones and the El Roquillo tunnel has been closed again as earthquakes approach the coast of El Hierro.

WHAT!! this is appaling!
"Update 05/11 – 12:13 UTC :
The coastal village / town of La Restinga is almost strangled by the current events. The village, mainly dependent on small fisherman and diving companies, is going through his hardest time since his existence. As all trade did came to a standstill since the early evacuation days, people have hardly something to eat! Aid has been promised, but the political and administrative hassle takes too long."

earthquake-report.com...

Rainbows
Jane

reply to post by angelchemuel


Terrable isn't it. The trouble is this event is just not been covered, not many even know this is happening. I have started to report the little I know on my site to try and get the news out but I am only small fry.

The word really does need to get out - the question is how- let us think on it as things proceed to decline in the area

El Hierro Volcano (Canary Islands) : Red alert – New ? strong vent reported by Joke Volta

Update 05/11 – 18:10 UTC :
We just got a call from an excited Joke Volta that a new powerful Jacuzzi (vent) can be seen from the La Restinga El Pinar road. She is currently making pictures from it. We have to be cautious with news reports as we our blind ourselves (installing a webcam with a view on the coast looks to be impossible to realize), but the least that we can say, is that a lot is going on below the La Restinga coast.

Source

Coastal residents of La Restinga have been ordered to evacuate immediately.

The inhabitants of the coastal area of La Restinga have been ordered to leave due to some toxic substances detected because of the undersea volcanic eruption offshore.

The order has been made public while some residents where having a meeting at the square of the town and surprised them.

It seems that scientists have found toxic substances emitted by the undersea eruption and have alerted the authorities about it.

Residents are following the mandatory evacuation and are leaving the area.

Source Diario de Avisos

reply to post by Ptolomeo


Oh oh.....I did mention in my last post that it was the gases I was worried about. Any news if it is anything worse than the sulphur?
Rainbows
Jane

reply to post by angelchemuel


Pevolca has ordered the evacuation after having discovered a change in the evolution of the eruption as they have found some steam ash clouds in the area...

Source: Diario El Hierro

It seems that the Council was having a meeting with the residents at the square, when they got a phonecall to order the evacuation.

The submarine eruption is taking place close to the shore but no further information regarding the toxic substances detected by the scientists.

The information provided by the authorities and scientists is very scarce. Have to rely on other media...

Source: El País

According to "El País", some of the jacuzzi´s can be seen from the harbor.

Regards,
Ptolomeo

P.S.: About 250 residents will be evacuated.

Update

05/11/2011 @ 20:30 – La Restinga has been evacuated as the underwater volcano eruption pumps lava and stream into the air.
Lava?

Maybe they are referring to this recent photo of the "jacuzzi" bubbles breaking the surface like a geyser?

Source of image

reply to post by Tzavros


Source, please

I have not been able to find anything about lava (at least, not yet)

Thank you.
Regards,
Ptolomeo

Here's a tidbit from the MSM:

Activity by an underwater volcano has led Spanish authorities to shutdown access to a port on El Hierro island, officials said on Saturday.

The regional government of the Canary Islands says scientists have detected airborne volcanic fragments called pyroclasts rising from the sea off La Restinga.

link: www.msnbc.msn.com...

reply to post by Ptolomeo


There's mention of lava in this article:

At the depths that the material is eruption (few hundred meters), the eruption is likely not highly explosive but plenty of shattered basaltic (or basanitic) glass is being produced as the lava hits the cold ocean water.

link: www.wired.com...

ETA: There's some pretty neat pictures at that link too

Image from a resident of El Pinar (José Bordón Tejera)

Have found some important information on the news

Source:Diario El Hierro

DIARIO EL HIERRO fue testigo de la aparición de una gran columna de vapor, con material magmático, justo enfrente de la Avenida de esta localidad pesquera. La columna ascendió a presión en torno a unos 10 metros sobre la superficie del mar para luego, descender. Las personas que se encontraban en la zona no se podían creer lo que estaban viviendo en ese preciso momento. Daba la impresión de que el volcán finalmente emergía a la superficie.

translation:
Diario El Hierro has witnessed a large column of steam, with magmatic material, just off the Avenue of this local fishing village. The column pressure reached 10 metres above sea level to then descend. People who were in the area could not believe what they were experiencing at that moment. It seemed that the volcano finally emerged to the surface.



Regards,
Ptolomeo

P.S.: Thank you for your information about the lava... Activity is increasing. I bet there will be a volcano eruption on the island or very close to it...

Update from canariesnews.com
Having real trouble getting links to work at the moment.
Underwater volcano eruption on El Hierro pumps lava up to 20 metres in the air.
Have asked for the image to be emailed over unless one of you can get it.

will try to post the link to an image, though it is not a high quality

Diario El Hierro

It seems that the link to the image that you mention does not work, but it is the same picture I´ve posted.

They are saying that even the press has been asked to leave the area...

Regards,
Ptolomeo